Loader



Feb. 18, 1930. H. sTRoDTHoFF 1,747,607

LOADER Filed March 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor s By Attorney Feb. 18, 1930. H. STRODTHOFF LOADER Filed March 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 18, 1930. H. sTRoDTHoFF LOADER Filed March 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 [n alentar H. @naam/7 Attorney Fell 18, 1930. H. sTRoDTHoFF LOADER Filed March 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNrre STES PATENT LOADER Application led March 25, 1927. Serial No. 178,357.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for gathering hay and clover, or alfalfa to be thrashed for seed, or sheavesor bundles 0f grain in the field and transferring them to a wagon or other vehicle which is alongside of the loader. i

An, important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this nature which will load hay or any other crop whether loose or in bundles, onto the wagon or other vehicle without breaking the leaves or stems or without thrashing any of the grain or seed, especially alfalfa or clover to be thrashed for seed.

,Another very-importantv object of this inventionresides in the provision of a primary elevator whichA may be easily and readily shifted manually and which shifts automatically to suit the different rises and depressionsy of the ground so that said elevator just clears the ground as the driver has it set to clear the ground by regulating the skids.

Anothervery important object of the inventionlies in the provision of an apparatus of this nature which will not damage the clover, alfalfa and the like that is raised for seed.

A still further important object of the rinvention lies in the provision of an apparatus of this nature which is comparatively simple in its conception, strong and durable, fairly eflicient and reliable in operation, not likely to easily become out of order, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed. t With the above and numerous other objects in'view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

It is evident that many forms of mechanism may be provided .for carrying out the objects of this invention, and I have shown one means for accomplishing each of the steps forming a part of my invention. Thevmechanism shown for carrying out this operation, however, is merely shown for the purposes of, illustration, and the particular forms of mechanism is not particularly essential since the means for operating each step in the proper sequence is subordinate of the general` operation and construction whereby an etlicient loader of the character indicated is produced which reliably operates in the p erformance of the functions required by reason of the interrelation and coaction of the various mechanisms, thereby accomplishing the objects intended.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of the apparatus embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a yvertical transverse section therethrough taken substantially on the lineA S-Sof Figure 2; I

Figure 4c is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the upper end of the' secondary transverse conveyor taken substantially'on the line 4 4 of Figure l; y Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary` elevation showing the connection between the primary and secondary vlongitudinal conveyors; Y

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section therethrough Y Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional viewof one of the clutches;

Figure 8 is a detailed sectional elevation of one of the'cross bars; l j l Figure 9 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the line 9 9 Vof Figure 2. l

Referring to the drawingsV in detail,'it will be seen that ythe wheeled supporting structure of this apparatus includes a longi-` tudinal frame, and a rear transverse frame. The longitudinal frame is made up of threel longitudinal beamsv, 6 and 7, the forward ends of which are curved upwardly and then downwardly as is indicated at 8, 'and are connected toa front axlej9 on whichV is swingably. mounted at the ends steering knuckleslO with frontwheels 11 journaled thereon.` Y `Any suitable draft Vand steering means/maybe used and the wheeled sup .porting structure may be self-propelled if de-V sired. However, by way kof example merely,'I.-have disclosed thefknuckles 10 as con'- nected by a 'rod 12,5and have illustrated a tongue 13 pivoted to the axle as at 14 adjacent one end andloosely pivoted as at l15 tothe connecting rod 12. (A

Standardsfl rise from vthe rear ends of beams 6 and 7l and standards 16 rise theretion andinthe lower. forward corners there-' 2'51of have j ourn'aled thereinashaft 20. Chains from adj acent' the forward' end thereof; 'The'.`

standards 1.6 aretaller than the Vstandards 15. Elongatedfside' plates 17 are fixed tof' the standards .15 and 16 to bedisposed in spaced parallelism and'toincline downward-V ly an'dforwardly. A shaft 18is yjournaled in the upper ends of theplates 17. V'Brackets 1 9 are mounted. atl the lower ends of the plates v'1 7fa'nd l`are of altriangular 'forma-v 21 are trained `over sprockets mounted on Y shafts 18and 20, andthese. chains areconnected`- cross .bars 22 ,which have headed Vspikes 23 projecting therefrom', the sznn'efloe-r ing ymounted vas 'is clearly'indicatedin Fig? ure 8.1 The upper runs Vof these chains 21' are guided 'over cross members 34 mounted between Lthe side plates 17.V These chains 21 and crossebars 22 form thesecondary longitudinal endless conveyor. The primary end-v less longitudinal conveyor fis mounted forwardly offsaid secondaryconveyor Vandls i' f' formed of side plates 25; which are swingably connected to `brackets V19 by a shaft 26jourried -by cross vmembers V30 disposed vbetween on.skids'BO".having'shanks 31 formed with l 7' slots 32;* Plates 35 are mounted. on theyfor .wardendY of the primary endless conveyor strnctureand have teeth engageable with similar teeth 36 on shanks 31. i Bolts 37 en ;y y l `recclniving the shaft 67.A 'Nuts 73 are engaged gage in plates 35. and project'through slots 32, wherebylit may be seen that ther skids' 3Qy .mayv be adjusted to raise or lower fthe for-- ward end of the yprimary endlesslongitudinalfconveyor. as desired. `Cables 38 are at-` tached to the forward end of thev primary longitudinal endless conveyorand are trained over Vsheaves 89l at' the vupper ends ofthe Q standards '1 6a'nd then extend down to wind on`winches 40 mounted at'i'the lower ends jj `of the standards 16 and o perablethrough a crank 41,V vor in other 'suitable manner.`

Arms '42 are pivoted to'side'plates 21S 't-U46 and'at their other ends are pivoted as at v44 to arms 45 "Whichhave pins 46.projectable l [into openings 47 arranged in series so as to provide an adjustment by placing the pins 46 in a desired opening .47. it will be seen that thev arms 42 and 45 may be 'swung Vto varying angles therebetween.V `Pulleys'48 ,are

journaled on the pivot 44 .andengage the lower runs of the chain 2 1, Therefore, the

arms 42 and 45and thepulleys 48 function The primary' transverse endless conveyor is mounted on standards 49 at the rear of beams 6 and7 andbraced by diagonal braces 50. This transverse y'endless Vconveyor includes a frontmemberv 5 1 and a Vrear plate member 52 which are disposedin spaced parallelismand have journa'led therein shafts 53'and `54 on sprockets of` which are trained as chain tighteners and will bequite apchains 5 6 connected ley/ cross bars V57 having'.

spikes v58' projecting therefrom in a simiv` ondary longitudinal endless conveyor extends a distance over the fronti edge of the primary transverse .end'leS'SjCOnVeyor sov as to/ pile the material on the center of thel latter.

A plate 59fis disposed under the upper runs of the chains 56 and ofcourse, the cross bars 57 slide thereovenf The lower-"runs of the chains 56l have chain tighteners 601`associf atedtherewith which are similar in construc-v tion to chain' tighteners 42,` 45 and48.l "'The vsecondary Vtransverse endless conveyor com-y end of the primarytransverse endless con-.

veyor'. A shaft165"isjournaledin'the lower .corners of th'eplates 6,1.v Thefupper lower corners thereof are,slottedlongitudinallyv as at 66 and have journaled thereina shaft 67.

Chains 68 are trained over sprockets on shafts '65 and 67 andv are connected by cross barsy 69 having spikes 70 in a similar manner to -cro'ss bars`22 heretofore.referredtdv Across member 71`is disposed between* the plates 61 larmanner to 'bars 22 heretofore described.'

It is well` to note atv this time' that the secesA and hasivextended therethrough vthreaded,` sh'anks 7 2, the upper endsof which have eyes Aon the threaded Shanks k7 2'and'may'be turned to tighten the chains 6Sras will ben quite ap# parent.V HAV plate 74 Y'disposed'between the Vside plates '61. undery thenpper runs :ofthe chains `68. `'lhefstandards 62 are "further l braced asis indicated atV 63.v The mainflon-ff gitudinal Vframe is braced bydiagonal braces 76, the arranger'nentl ofwhichfisshown clear-` ly inl-Vig. 1.

tion and attention is directed to the driving and control mechanism. An axle shaft 78 is journaled across the longitudinal frame structure immediately in front of the transverse frame structure as clearly indicated in Figure 1 and has mounted on the ends thereof rear wheels 79 which travel with the shaft 78 or vice versa. A spur gear 80 is fixed to this axle shaft 78 and is in constant mesh with a spur gear 81 on a shaft 82 mounted in the longitudinal frame transversely thereof. With this shaft 82 there is associated a clutch mechanism indicated generally by the letter C for turning the shaft 82 from the spur gear 81. This clutch mechanism Cis disclosed in detail in Figure 7 and comprises a pair of disks 84 and 85 one on each side of the gear 81 and fixed to the shaft 82. An externally grooved annulus 86 has projecting therefrom pins 87 slidable through openings in disks 84, gear 81. and disk in the order mentioned. A ring 88 is disposed in the groove of the annulus 86 and has a pin and slot connection 89 with a bell-crank lever 90 pivoted on a bracket 91 projecting laterally from the beam 6, a chain and sprocket connection 93 is provided between. shaft 82 and shaft 18. A chain and sprocket connection 94 is provided between shafts 20 and 26. A bevelled pinion 95 is mounted on the shaft 78 and is in constant mesh with a bevelled pinion 96 on a shaft 97 journaled longitudinally of the supporting apparatus in the transverse frame structure which has a clutch C on the rear end thereof associated with a chain and sprocket connection 98 with the shaft 54 and a sprocket and chain connection 99 is providedl between the shafts 54 and 65. A seat 100 is mounted between beams 6 and 7 by cross members 101 and 102 and has pivoted thereon a lever 103 having a link connection 104 with the bell-crank lever 90 and a link connection 105 is provided between the bell-crank 90 and a lever 106 pivoted on a bracket 107 projectingrfrom the rear cross member 108 of the transverse frame structure and operatively associated with the clutch C which is similar to clutch C heretofore described in detail so that both of these clutches C and C are operable in unison by the operator on the seat for placing the four conveyor structures in operation at one time from the rear wheels 79 as will now be apparent.

It is thought that the construction, operation,'utility,and advantages of this apparatus will now be vquite apparent to those skilled in this art withoutA a more detailed description thereof. It will be seen that the device is both eflicient and reliable and will load without injuring the crop and will shield the crop from the wind because of the side plates described. ,The structure is easy to handle by a single operator and the parts are so constructed and arranged so as to be accessiblefin view of their compactnessand. con# Y venience. Y i

It is to be understood that the ]g resent.en'1.l bodiment ofthe inventionl has been ydisclosed in detail'merely by way of example'since inv actual practice it has yattained the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in'the statement ofthe invention and the above de` Vscription.` 4It will be apparent that changes of the longitudinal frame, and comprisingA an endless structure, means training theend-v less structure in an elongated orbit, the longitudinal dimension of which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly of the apparatus, a plurality of spikes projecting outwardly from the endless structure, an endless longi- -tudinally extending conveyor mounted on the longitudinal frameand having one end pivotally engaged with the rear end of the gathering mechanism, a primary transverse endless conveyor on the transverse train below the upper end of the longitudinal endless conveyor, and a second transverse endless conveyor rising from below one end of the primary conveyor on the transverse frame and inclining upwardly therefrom, means for operating the conveyors from the wheels of the supporting structure, andVv means for elevating the front end of the gathering mechanism, and said wheel supporting structures being of a width greater than the width of the longitudinal conveyor, and draft attaching means connected to the front end of the supporting structure alongside of the gathering mechanism.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a supporting structure including a longitudinal frame and a rear transverse frame, `an l endless conveyor mounted on the longitudinal frame and extending for its full length thereof, a gathering mechanism pivotally en-v gaged with one end of the elevator, said endless structure being disposed upon the frame in an inclined plane to extend upwardly from the rear of the gathering mechanism, a primary transverse endless conveyor on the transverse frame below the upper end of the longitudinal endless conveyor, and a second transverse endless conveyor rising from below one end of the primary conveyor on the ioo transverse frame and inclining upwardly` therefrom, wheel supporting means for thev longitudinal frame, said supporting means projecting laterally from the longitudinalendless conveyor', and draft attaching-niean connected to the front end of the. extension 'alongside of the gathering mechanisnn' stand- MY l` ards rif'singlfrom intermediate portions of the v Ylongitudinal conveyor, Vsheaves rotatably Y Vmounted onfthe upper endsof the standards,

cahlcs` trained-over said sheave and attached to the' forward end ofthe gathering.mecha-V Vni'sm'and means for pullin'gfthe cable. so-fthat,

aniSm-Aniaybe raised. -f Y "-lnte'stmony Whereol aix'my signature. HERRMANNV'YSTRODTHOFF.

theforwardend of the said gathering mech- Y yusf 

